The IW Council should make a case for new health jobs to be located on the Island. That’s the message of Island MP Andrew Turner following disclosure that, in yet another health reorganization, a new Hampshire and Isle of Wight Health Authority is to be set up bringing together three existing health authorities.
Speaking after last week’s announcement by the Department of Health, Mr Turner said:
“I welcome the appointment of Peter Bingham, who lives in Shorwell, to chair the new Health Authority. He has been an excellent chairman of the current health authority and its predecessor, the Isle of Wight Health Authority.
“But we cannot expect favours of him just because he comes from the Island. He has to work for the good of health services across the two counties. So it is all the more important that the Council and the IW Partnership make the case to bring as many of the administrative jobs as possible to the Island. These bodies should set out clearly how easy it is to recruit high quality, loyal staff on the Island. They should point to the lower cost of renting premises on the Island, and to good e-communications, higher quality of life, good schools, short commuting times and the relatively low cost of housing when compared with the mainland.
“On too many occasions in the past the Island’s services have been amalgamated with those of the mainland and Island jobs have disappeared. The police control room went to Netley. The magistrates’ courts administration went. In the last health reorganization jobs went to Havant. The Island deserves some of these jobs, but we won’t get them unless we make the strong case that we have failed to make in the past.
“That is why I am calling on both Council and Partnership to make a serious bid to the new Health Authority for these jobs. For my part I am willing to work with such a bid to convince the government and SEEDA that such jobs should not be centralized, but brought to the Island where they are so badly needed.”
